The present invention relates to a building structure and a method of forming a building structure. In particular, although not exclusively, the present invention relates to a storage structure.
Typically, buildings are constructed with walls of bricks and/or other building material. A roof is then built on top of the wall. The roof is made of different building materials again. Having many types of building material presents difficulties due to the variety of construction techniques that must be employed and the associated expense. Where the building is to be air-tight, all the joins must be sealed.
When the building is used for grain storage, the shape of the structure needs to account for the manner in which grain lies on the ground. Due to the particulate nature of grain, it prefers a structure having a round base and, depending on the type of grain, a rill angle of about 30xc2x0. Dome shaped structures are ideal for storing grain as they have an internal shape to accommodate the grain, as well as an external shape which provides a wind resistant profile. Unfortunately dome shaped structures are difficult to build using traditional building materials and construction techniques.
An object of the present invention is to overcome at least some of the above problems by providing a building structure that can be more easily constructed, and is suited to dome shaped structures.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a building structure having a wall comprising a plurality of wall elements, each wall element connected to a plurality of other wall elements so as to form the wall, wherein each wall element includes a connecting means for connecting the adjacent wall elements together to form the wall.
Preferably, each wall element includes a first face and a second face opposite the first face. More preferably, each wall element further includes a plurality of sides. Preferably, the connecting means of each wall element includes an interlocking portion located on each side of the wall element for connecting each said side to another side of another wall element.
Preferably, the wall is curved to form a curved part of the structure. More preferably, the wall is curved to form a dome shaped structure.
Preferably, the first face of each wall element is of concave shape. More preferably, the first face of each wall element, in use, collectively forms an interior face of the wall. Preferably, the second face of each wall element is convex in shape. More preferably, the second face of each wall element, in use, collectively forms an exterior face of the wall.
Preferably, the wall is formed of at least three consecutively connected rings of interlocking wall elements, each of the wall elements in each ring being of the same size, each of the wall elements in a first ring of the consecutively connected rings being larger than the wall elements of a second ring of the consecutively connected rings and each of the elements in the second ring being larger then the wall elements of a third ring of the consecutively connected rings.
Preferably, each wall element is in the form of a tile. More preferably, the shape of the first face and the second face of the wall elements is a polygon in plain view.
In one embodiment, the shape of the first face and second face of the wall elements is a regular polygon in plan view. Still more preferably, when the wall elements are connected together they tessellate to form the wall. Preferably, the wall is formed of one or more types of wall element, each type of wall element having a different shape of regular polygon in plan view. Preferably, one of the types of regular polygon is a hexagon. Preferably, another of the types of regular polygon is a pentagon. Preferably, all wall elements of each type are uniform in size and shape.
In another embodiment, the wall element is an irregularly shape hexagon.
Preferably, all wall elements of each ring are uniform in size and shape.
Preferably, the interlocking portions that connect two wall elements together are a complementary projection and recess, one of each formed on each of the sides connected together. Where the polygon is a hexagon, three of the sides have the projection and the other three sides have the recess.
Typically, the wall consists of wall elements only or wall elements and an adhesive only.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of constructing a building structure comprising the steps of:
constructing a wall made of wall elements by placing each wall element adjacent a plurality of other wall elements; and,
connecting a connection means of each wall element to a corresponding connection means of each adjacent wall element.
Preferably, adjacent wall elements are connected by placing them with abutting sides together of each of the adjacent wall elements, and connecting an interlocking portion of the connecting means located on each side of each of the adjacent wall elements. Preferably, the wall elements are placed in an arrangement where an inside face of each wall element forms a part of an inside surface of the wall. More preferably, the wall elements are placed in an arrangement where an outside face of each wall element forms a part of an outside surface of the wall.
Preferably, the wall elements are placed in an arrangement where a curve in the body of each wall element contributes to a curve in the wall. More preferably, the wall elements are placed so that a concave curve of the inside face of each wall element contributes to form a constant concave curve in the inside surface of the wall. Still more preferably, the wall elements are placed so that a convex curve of the outside face of each wall element contributes to form a constant convex curve in the outside surface of the wall.
Preferably, constructing the curved wall includes the steps of:
connecting a plurality of wall elements having a first size together to form a first ring,
connecting a plurality of wall elements having a second size, smaller than the first size, together to form a second ring interlocking with the first ring,
connecting a plurality of wall elements having a third size, smaller than the second size, together to form a third ring interlocking with the second ring.
Preferably, the wall elements are placed so as to form a circular wall. More preferably, the wall elements are placed so as to form a dome shaped wall.
Preferably, two wall elements are coupled together by an interlocking means of the wall element. More preferably, an adhesive is used to permanently couple the wall elements together.
Preferably, a couple between the wall elements is sealed by the adhesive acting as a sealant. Preferably, each wall element is placed by a positioning arm.
Preferably, each wall element is drawn over an external surface of the partly constructed wall, with the partly constructed wall bearing some of the weight of the wall element as it is moved into position to be placed in the wall.
In accordance with the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for constructing a building comprising: a positioning arm having a pivotal end and a distal end for releasably holding a building element; and an anchor means for anchoring the positioning arm to a particular point on the ground, wherein the pivotal end is pivotally connected to the anchor means, whereby in use, the positioning arm is arranged to hold the building element, the positioning arm is pivoted to position the building element at a desired place so that the building element may be used to form part of the building, and the positioning arm releases the building element.
Preferably, the apparatus includes a lifting means for moving a building element into position where the positioning arm can take hold of the building element.
Preferably, the positioning arm is variable in length to assist in either taking hold of the building element or positioning the building element. More preferably, the positioning arm includes a means of returning the arm to a predetermined length in order to provide a constant radius to a curve of a wall of building elements.
In accordance with the fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of constructing a building comprising the steps of: coupling a pivotal end of a positioning arm to the centre of where the building is to be constructed, releasably coupling a building element to a distal end of the positioning arm; pivoting the positioning arm to move the building element into a position where the building element is used to form part of the building; connecting the building element to another building element; and releasing the building element from the positioning arm.
Preferably, the method further includes a step of using the positioning arm as a compass to mark the position of a curved wall to be constructed as part of the building. More preferably, the method further includes using the positioning arm to position each building element at a predetermined radius from the centre of where the building is to be constructed.
In accordance with a fifth aspect of the present invention there is provided a wall element for use in constructing a wall of a building structure, said wall element comprising a connection means for connecting the wall element to other wall elements to form the wall.